On Saturday, June 5, 2010, I tagged along with good friend Chris to see one of our friends play a show at Café L’Étranger. I was surprised after walking down those stonewashed steps and taking a peep through the large glass window. It was a café indeed. Not to mention, a cute one. Two rock/metal bands will be playing a show in this? I hope they don’t trash the place.. The area was filled with tiny round tables and comfy seats. I took one, surprised I’d be watching a rock show sitting down. The show began at a couple of minutes passed 9 PM, beginning with Run For Cover. This four-piece band has Paul Milot on the drums, Orin Loft on bass, Stephen Young on guitar and David Nebbs on guitar… Wait? What about the vocalists? The truth is, this is what got me really eager. The two guitarists and the bassist ARE the vocalists! At the moment, I can’t even think of another band that has that many vocals.. And the great part about all this: they could actually sing. And very well in fact. I sat at the edge of my seat, my ears bleeding from the loud sound escaping the instruments. Did I mention they were really loud? It took a couple of minutes to adjust, but it was completely worth it. For a first show, the guys of Run For Cover really knew how to put a good show together.

To finish off came the band, formally on hiatus, Ode To The Fallen. I told these guys so many times I’d see one of their shows, and this was the night. This is a five-piece band hailing from a part of the south-shore, Chateauguay to be exact, with Michael Disnard and Wishe Deom on guitar, William Gray on bass, Aiden Deom on drums and returning to the set, Orin Loft on vocals. The wait was completely worth it. My favorite part, besides all instruments being very good and well intertwined? Orin’s stage presence. Picture this: It’s a very small stage. When I say small, I really mean it. It’s tiny as fuck. There are five guys on stage, all with very fuckin sick guitars, a sweet drum set and then there’s Orin, growling mad as hell and doing these crazy gestures, jumping up and down, moving swiftly everywhere, and you’re wondering.. How the fuck? That takes a lot of skill, and Ode To The Fallen surely has it.

It’s after seeing bands like these two perform that I feel proud of being part of the Montreal scene. The music hear is growing and rising quickly, each artist fighting to reach the top. I believe that they have improved across the ages, and this, immensely. You should check them out. No, really, you should.